South Korea will reopen all 12 walking routes along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) for this year’s program, offering visitors renewed access to one of the world’s most heavily fortified borders.
The trails, known collectively as the DMZ Peace Trail, will operate from April 17 to November 30, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, cited by Yonhap News Agency.
Operations will be temporarily suspended in July and August due to high summer temperatures.
The routes run through border areas in Incheon, Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces, allowing visitors to explore the ecological, historical and cultural significance of the DMZ.
First introduced in 2019, the initiative aims to provide South Korean citizens with rare access to areas near the border with North Korea, which is otherwise tightly restricted.
Authorities said the program will be expanded this year, with plans to increase both the number of operating days and the number of participants.
The trails are typically closed during the winter months due to harsh weather conditions before reopening each spring.
The Demilitarized Zone, which stretches about 250 kilometers in length and 4 kilometers in width, has divided the Korean Peninsula since the 1950–1953 Korean War, which ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.
As a result, North and South Korea remain technically still at war.
The reopening of the DMZ Peace Trail highlights ongoing efforts by Seoul to promote public engagement with the region’s complex history while maintaining strict security controls.
.jpg.jpeg)